The National tribune., 1887-04-14

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: j was much
Interested in the communication from Comrade
v y. Alum, Naynesburg. Pa, as my own regi-
meut, the list n. \. lLinc0ln) Cav, belonged
90 the 8hird Brigade, Third Division, Cavalry
Corps aud the events Of the last grand cam
pagu of the Shenandoah Valley, described by
COmrade Alum, are very clearly photographed
upon my memory. Has Comrade Alum for
gotten. was not his regiment in the little
brush " we had with the Johnnies at Mount
Crawford the day before the Waynesboro ight2
The rebels had burned the bridge across a mar
row but very deep and swiftly 1owing stream
q think a branch of the SHENANDOAH aud
thrown up breastworks thinking j suppose,
20 impede our progress sufficiently TO let Jubal
Early get away with the remnant Of his army.
But we had started for Richmond and did not
propose TO let any such trities as few armed
Johnnies behind brcastworks and a burned
bridge hinder Hs; so we turned aud marched
little way mp the stream. plunged in with our
horses and succeeded in reaching the opposite
shore with only few men endorsed. We
sOou formed in line and charged across wheat
field until we reached the breastwOTBs which
had been vacated by the rebels as soon as they
had discovered that we had crossed the steam.
We followed them up as fast as our weary
horses could carry us until nearly dark. having
taken a great many of them prisoners. In
stead of capturing, as Comrade Alum says,
several prisoners and part of Early's wagon
entire command and all of his supplies. He
only escaped himself "by the skin of bis
teeth on an engine which was standing upon
the track. j saw IL as IL shot out from the sta
tion, aud IL seemed TO go as a bullet out Of a
gun. All the other statements In the com
munication referred 10 are substantially cor
rect.
My principal object IN writing this is to see
~ it will not stir up some of the boys of the
old " First Lincoln" 10 speak occasionally
through the columns Of TIE TRIBUNE Come
now, boys let us DE a little more social and
talk over the events Of those exciting days
enlisted in August, 1864, when but l6 years of
age aud stayed long enough 10 close the war
but not quite along enough 10 get the last in
stalment of the 500 bounty the Government
promised ms. have or heard very little
OF the boys since the close OF the war. found
10 my very great surprise, upon coming 10 this
place, little over year ago, Comrade Theo-
dOre Whitney, of Co. A. lie was with the regi-
ment from the beginning until July, 1863, when
he was taken prisoner between CharlestOwn and
snlthheld, Va, while commissioned as a spy
by BlackiOrd's company of Harry GilmOre's
command. lie was taken TO Castle Thunder,
where he was held TO the close of the war.
COmrade Whitney can tell some thrilling
stories OF his exploits a spy and his expe-
rience in Castle Thunder. He says he would
very much like 10 hear something from Lieut..
C. ID. Lawson, OF the LIST Va, who was his room
mate nearly all the time he was in prison. II
this note should catch the eyes of any OF the
members Of the old regiment i hope they will
speak up aud let us know where they are. i
wonder what has become Of Lieut. I'D Lake
6ergt Geo. Watson, or Corpl Tom Hatlon, OF
Blacksmith Satterly.-J. III. MAsTEN, Co. r.
Isl N. Y. (Lincoln) Cav, North CobOcton n y